day 34

2:10 AM

Akira and Hina  passed the combat area. With their mana full at 1200,  they had 10 charges of exorcise in total.

They proceeded cautiously in the tunnel. The faint glowing of the red and green bio-luminescence was creating  sinister shadows, but allowed the two exorcists to see well enough in the darkness without their head torches.

Soon the tunnel ended in a crossroad.

"You probably had a very bad luck summoning the guardians of all these tunnels simultaneously" Mira commented

"So do you thing the next encounters should be with lesser numbers?" Hina

"The guardians of the hives usually go by one to four members group" Foxx

"Ok lets pick one and move" Akira

"hmm We go with the left one" Hina picked one obviously random.

The left tunnel was 2,5 meters wide and had some debris littered on the ground. The same glowing light and smell of evil.

They proceeded as silently as possible. Frequent stops to check and listen.

They heard the enemies before they saw them. This time Hina was ready and cast the cloaking. 

They hid next to an old closet and waited...

2 demons passed by without noticing anything unusual.

"EXORCISE" Akira+Hina

[+4800 SU; Balance: 6300]

"Lets wait for 40 minutes and move on for some mana regeneration

"EXORCISE" Akira eliminated sleeping wasp on the ceiling.

[+2400 SU; B: 8700]

After another break they reached the end of the left tunnel

It had a large door opening, but the door was gone. They entered a large 5 meters tall hall filled with machinery some of them as big as a large Truck, a lot of pipes and cables on the walls and ceiling. It looked like a steampunk maze.

"It is the electricity generators compartment" Everything was covered in rust metal, thick dust and of course the glowing biomass.

Akira put her hand up to stop their approach and listened.

A buzzing sound from left above. One.. no Two fliers there. A clicking sounds of walking demon somewhere ahead. 

"I have confirmed 3 demons. There are probably more of them further in"

"How are we going to do it dear?" Hina

"I suggest the same tactics, there is no need to rush. Get in, clear some, get out. Rinse and repeat" Foxx

"Agreed" Mira

So they did just that. They cloaked, hit the 2 fliers and a beetle demon and retreated into the tunnel to recuperate the mana

[mission 1 counter 384/500]

On their second run they wasted a hunting spider on the ceiling and two of the hedgehogs and one stone centipede. Total of four demons

The third run cleared the hall with another 2 demons.

"That was much easier than the begining. We are getting the knack of it, okasa" Akira smiled

[balance 30 300 SU]

---6 AM---

MISSION 1 COMPLETED

"Phew Finlay it took us too long" Akira

"I.. don't believe it. It took you less than 24 hours to complete the mission and at level 9 on top of that" Mira said

"Congratulations Ms and Mrs Ryu for you first successful mission. I would say I am impressed" Major Foxx

[Kornelius has gifted you "tactical map" military grade system upgrade module. Do you accept y/n]

"yes" Akira

[processing system upgrade 22.34...56.89..100%]

A 2d map appeared in left corner of Akira's vision.

"The map  has a passive scan area of 20 meters and a friend/foe recognition. It work on traces of demonic essence signatures. The enemy will appear as a red dot. The allies are marked in green, and unknown or neutral targets are marked in white. Keep in mind that the map sensor can be fooled by some of the demons who has natural cloaking skills" Foxx

Akira mentally played with its functions. The knowledge how to operate it was already in her head. It had basically all the functions you can find in a RPG game.

2d/3d mode, setting markers on the map, tracking of the route and path, and many more. It of course had some grey area outside its scanning radius of 20 meters....

"Okasa how do you like that map? Isn't it cool? Akira

"Huh I didn't get such thing dear" Hina

"Hey Foxx did you reward us just one module?? Akira

"Of course! The mission did not specify more than one reward" Foxx replied

"I thought we all get one each. Me and okasa - as a team" Akira pouted

"Don't worry dear. It is fine" Hina

"NO, Foxx can we get another mission like this for okasa,... please" Akira

"Aunt Foxx, I think Mrs Ryu will need it as well, Please Auntie" Mira

"... Fine, but these modules are important resource for the kingdom's army. Another  module for Mrs Ryu means that a commanding officer will not get their tactical map" Foxx

"I will make an exception this time because of the request from the princess" Foxx

"Oh thank you Mira, you are so cool!" Akira sounded delighted

"I.. I just did what I thought is right" Mira replied smiling

"You are a very kind and noble young lady, Mira" Hina

 

"Hey you had just raised the difficulty and cut the complete time" Akira protested

"Well of course. Where would be the challenge? If you just take the good rewards for few hours work, without much of an efforts?" Foxx

"Fine. No mater. It is still manageable" Akira

"We continue with this dungeon. Now lets get some more levels and more mana" Akira

[- 30 000 SU; Balance 300]

 

"With the tactical map and its scanning ability, 3 000 sum of mana, and the recent experience  I believe we can take even more aggressive approach. We have a total of 12 charges of exorcise lets make them work for us" Akira

They both returned to the crossroad and waited for the mana to get full.

"Okasa, are you ready for operation "fast and furious?" Akira

"Yes dear, the faster we finish here the faster we will soak in the tub" Hina sighed imagining the pleasure of the bath

Akira also remembered the relaxing effect of the spa. 

"We will move in fast pace utilising the 5 minute of the cloaking illusion to the max. When I detect a demon you cast the cloaking and we run further. Once 30 seconds of the cloaking remains we will retreat to safety back" Akira

The operation fast and furious was about to start. They prepared to storm the right tunnel

"Ready? Go" Akira

They moved fast.... 

"detected 2 enemies ahead"

"Cloaking illusion" Hina cast the cloak 5 minutes counter appeared in Hina mind eye.

....

EXORCISE " Akira + Hina

"Lets proceed further, move out" Akira

They continued to run. Every 5 meters there were doors leading to medium size rooms - some of them empty others were not. Quick smash on the door - enter exorcise cast and out

"Room clear, next..." Akira

They checked every room and exorcised any demon residing there

 "EXORCISE".....EXORCISE".....EXORCISE".....EXORCISE"............

"OK okasa time is up lets move to that room for rest end recover" Akira

They entered an infirmary room which was cleared before and closed the door shut.

"Phew that was a fast run. We are almost out of mana." Akira

"You killed 10 24lvl demons in 4 minutes and 23 seconds" Mira

"Is that our new record?" Hina smiled happily

[+24 000 SU balance 24 300]

"This corridor is almost clear. We have 2 rooms left"

The cloak has 1 hour cool down. We can try to clear the rooms without the illusion. They have a narrow door that we can block with the shield until the spell does its work" Akira suggested

"Hmm not a bad idea. It will save us 1 hour. Then we make the same fast and furious run at the last tunnel? and then go home..." Hina

"Lets get some more levels and mana reserves. We have gained additional SU to spare"

[- 20 000 SU" Balance 4 300]

Akira and Hina got another 2 levels each. Reaching level 17.

The super fast levelling was so absurd that Mira and Foxx were shaking their heads in disbelief. Such rates were possible of course. Usually  it was done by the wealthy and those who can afford it. The person who is supposed to be lifted up was protected by very high levelled and trained party. And it still was considered a risky operation. You know a person has only one life and no re-spawn unlike the games. The other option for fast level up was someone to gift you the huge sum of SU, but you must be a princes or king or very rich.

Akira Ryu	level 17	Hina Ryu	level 17
strength	81	strength	81
swiftness	81	swiftness	81
vitality	80	vitality	80
intelligence	80	intelligence	80
soul	176	soul	170
mana	1760/1760	mana	1700/1700
mana reg	17.6/min	mana reg	17/min
SU	4 300
HP	800/800	HP	800/800
HP regen	8/min	HP regen	8 /min

 

We got 14 charges of EXORCISE and the mana regeneration is much better.

Indeed with the combined mana regeneration they could exorcise a 24 lvl demon every 7 minutes. A great improvement comparing to Akira's first dive when she had to wait for hours for her mana to recuperate.

They went outside the infirmary. The right tunnel had only two rooms unchecked. Those with doors closed were normally empty and those with opened or missing ones had one or 2 demons  inside. That was Akira's observation. The Exorcists decided to hit the open room first. Walking slow and silently Akira holding the shield and Hina the hammer at her back, they approached the door opening.

Swish....Pang....

Something hit the shield loudly.

BZZZZZ

"A wasp.. there!" Akira said while peaking behind the shield

"EXORCISE" Akira

Pang ..... Pang...

Few more of those nasty stingers hit the shield. It endured well.

25 seconds later.... [+2400 SU. Balance 6 700]

"Room Clear! Next" Akira

The last room was empty and they returned back to the crossroad.

This is the last tunnel are you ready okasa?" Akira

"Let's do it" Hina smiled. Finally she was able to take revenge for her parents and help Akira, help herself go strong...

The tunnel happened to be short one only 50 meters ended in a large hall similar to the first one Akira visited in the past. Akira suspected that the ventilation shaft on the top of the current one led to the other hall from the past run.

"Cloaking illusion" Hina

They moved into the circular hall

"It had many of those cocoons grouped at its centre"

In the middle of it was a 4 meters tall mass of pulsing red and green biomass. It was emitting a sinister evil aura and was pulsing frequently. It was the origin of the demonic infestation in the tunnels.

"What the hell is that" Akira whispered

"The hive's mind" Foxx

"It has no physical attacks, but uses mind attack spells like "FEAR" CONFUSION" "STUN" and  curses like "slow" or "weakness" Mira

"I have the soul fortress. Will I be affected?" Akira

"You are immune to the mind attacks, but not the curses. The curses are not that dangerous especially with "The holy cleansing aura"

"What about okasa?"Akira

"The moment it detects your present she will be hit hard by the mind attacks." Mira

"Time left for the cloaking? Akira

"3:36 minutes" Hina

Akira made some fast calculations and decided:

"Alright, okasa we move inside, clear all the demons and leave the cocoons and the hive mind alone. Then leave before the cloak ends"

"lets go"

"EXORCISE".....Hina and Akira cast one after another. The commotion brought the guardians of the shafts down to the ground level to be ended  silently by the exorcists.

"15 seconds" Hina

"run back!"

Both sprinted in inhuman speed all the way to the truck.

"phew" Akira drank water from the bottle and passed it to Hina.

[+ 16 800SU. Balance 23 500]

"What a horrible creature" Hina

"And those strange eggs like things" Hina shuddered

"Those are the larvae evolving to demons. They give 2 400 SU so I suppose they are lvl 24 as well" Akira

"That is correct the larvae in evolving stage has the same demonic essence like the regular demon of the same level ,but are relatively safe as they are defenceless" Mira

"Defenceless you say....HMM" Akira was in deep thought.

"Home delivery?" Hina grinned

"Yes I am thinking about it, but what if we bring those at home and they hatch while we sleep? It is risky" Akira

"I don't want to stay here for several weeks for the consume grinding" Hina pouted

"Is there any way to predict when the larvae will hatch?" Akira

"Hmm your "identify" is on basic level. If you get it to master level it will be able to provide that information"

"How much for that, partner?"

"Let me check..... 18 500 SU" Kornelius

"All right I will upgrade it"

[-18 500 SU; balance 5 000]